The Centurion

Holiday Gift Ideas for a Broke College Student

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year and that means giving gifts to your friends and family for the holiday season, which may be tough since except you’re a college student and most likely have limited funds. The upside is there are many ways to give thoughtful presents without breaking the bank.

One factor that will help you find a great inexpensive gift is to know where to shop. There are many bargain friendly department stores to find good quality items for half the original price such as Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Homegoods, and Ross.

Melissa Middleton, 20, an environmental science major from Levittown and an employee at Marshalls explained, “There are so many great cheap gift baskets at these types of stores, you will be able to find the perfect item for any of your loved ones in one shopping trip! We have gift baskets full of food, coffee, and even bath and body products. We even have gift cards as well.”

A great idea for the creative college student would be to try “Do It Yourself” gifting. Nothing says “I love you” more than something that is made from the heart. If you’re a student who has artistic, creative ability/ a piece of artwork, such as painting or a scrapbook, are great inexpensive gifts to give!

Shannon Kilpatrick, 20, an art student at Temple University does just that, “I buy supplies from Michaels or AC Moore and will make canvas paintings for my friend’s dorm rooms or even my family member’s homes. It’s nice to receive a piece of artwork that someone made specifically for you and will last a lifetime.”

Though the years of making a mixtape for a boyfriend or girlfriend may be over since the extinction of cassette tapes, college students can still do the romantic gesture of making their sweetheart a playlist on a music streaming app such as Spotify.

Nothing is more romantic then someone playing that special someone a love song and saying “This made me think of you.” A nice touch to the playlist idea could include a piece of jewelry or a cute couple picture in a nice frame.

There are countless other inexpensive gifts to give. Christopher Evans, 21, a business administration major from Levittown, said “My girlfriend loves fuzzy socks and that’s always a gift that I get her every year with other stuff. Girls always love fuzzy socks and they’re cheap!”

The holidays don’t need to be a financially stressful time for a college student who already has many other expenses to worry about. With some creativity or a trip to the art store it’s easy to wow that special someone and let them know you’re thankful for them this holiday season.